New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday decided to hear once again the matter concerning the ban on certified green firecrackers in Delhi-NCR, with the next hearing scheduled for Friday, October 10, just days before Diwali.
The Bench headed by Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai took up the case after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, sought an adjournment. Senior Advocate Balbir Singh, appearing for firecracker manufacturers, urged the court to list the matter this week in view of the approaching festival. The Chief Justice agreed and fixed the next hearing for Friday.
The matter pertains to the continued prohibition on the sale and use of firecrackers in the National Capital Region, a measure aimed at reducing toxic air pollution during the festive season. In earlier hearings, the Supreme Court had allowed only certified “green crackers” to be manufactured by units approved by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) and the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO). However, their sale within Delhi-NCR remained prohibited.
The Court had earlier directed the Centre to hold consultations with stakeholders, including the Delhi government, manufacturers, and traders, to evolve a balanced policy addressing both public health concerns and the economic distress faced by the firecracker industry. The Bench had observed that while pollution was a serious issue, a blanket ban could have unintended economic consequences.
In a previous hearing, Chief Justice Gavai had also remarked that if a ban is necessary, it should be implemented nationwide and not restricted to Delhi-NCR alone. “If citizens in NCR are entitled to clean air, why not people across the country?” he said, adding that air pollution is not a problem confined to the capital.
Amicus Curiae Aparajita Singh, however, reminded the court that the worst effects of pollution are borne by the poor, not the elite. “The elite can afford to leave the city or buy air purifiers; the poor remain exposed,” she said.
The firecracker issue has been a recurring one before the Apex Court. Earlier this year, the Court extended the existing ban on firecrackers in NCR areas of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana while awaiting compliance reports from state authorities. The Bench had referred to earlier orders directing states like Rajasthan to maintain similar restrictions in NCR regions.
Last year, amid severe smog episodes, the Supreme Court reiterated that “no religion promotes any activity that endangers health or the environment.”